I’d ever see magic.” He held up a finger. “Someday, I’d love to ask you tons of questions about how your magic works. But let me congratulate you. Anyone who’s been able to develop magical powers must be exceptional. And as long as you have moral values as well, I’d call all of you extraordinary.”
“You’re too kind, sir,” Regi said modestly.
“Now, this is interesting. You’re the Canadian, just like me. And you said the other day that you handle economic policy.”
“Yes,” Regi said, “More generally, I handle money. That’s anything to do with finances.”
“Right,” the professor said, nodding, “Using plain language. What a concept. Perhaps we should re-name our office the Department of Money.” He chuckled to himself. Realizing silence around him, he continued, “Mr… do you have a last name?”
“No, sir,” Regi said, a little embarrassed. “Wizards don’t have last names. Just call me Regi.”
“Interesting. Regi, do you have a degree in economics?”
“No.”
“Do you have any formal economics training?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then how can you possibly be qualified to handle economic planning?”
Regi defended himself. “Sir, I understand you have a formal hierarchy of evaluating credentials, where one must train under supervision and must pass the required exams. We wizards don’t do it that way. We’re highly organic and dynamic, and we debate each other all the time in terms of philosophy, mathematics, economics, theology, scientific theory, and logic.”
“Impressive. Many of our students have never had one decent debate.” The professor chuckled again. He said, “Very well. Let me ask you a question about economics.”
Regi grinned. “Am I being tested?”
“Yes, you are.”
“Shoot.”
The professor perked up his ears. “Did you say ‘shoot’ or did you say –?”
All the four wizards were laughing, as well as Amanda.
“I said shoot,” said Regi.
“Whew,” said the professor. “All right, the other day you were quoting Milton Friedman. Describe his contribution to the field of economics.”
“Milton Friedman,” Regi said, as if in a dream, “My favorite economist. He was a giant. Born July 31, 1912, died November 16, 2006, at the age of ninety-four years. Won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1976. Most famous for his monetarism policy. He postulated that there is a natural rate of unemployment, and that the role of government was to stay out of the economy and maintain its primary role as the arbitrator of the money supply.”
Professor Scully’s mouth hung open. “Incredible.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Indie smiled warmly. “Professor, you’ll all see that we wizards are knowledgeable about all fields of academia. We don’t believe in specializing. We all contribute ideas to each other, and we synergize.”
The professor remarked, “And now, I guess we Earthlings are a test tube for all these ideas?”
Indie said, “We’re Earthlings too. We prefer to call you Mortals because you don’t have magical powers. It’s meant as a term of honor. You may call us Wizards. In this role, for the next three years, we’ll call ourselves Liberators, as well. We aim to liberate society from old-fashioned thinking, remove the economic doldrums, and forever erase the wasteful and immoral spectre of war.”
Professor Scully tilted his head. “Intriguing. Although I’m not sure about your moral right to govern. I definitely applaud your wish to rid the world for once and all of war. But that’s not why I’m here. I’ve some specific questions – as an economics professor – for Regi about his new bitcoin theory.”
“Yes? Regi said, his hands clasped in front of him, eager.
“I found mine on my kitchen table in my house,” Professor Scully said, holding up a device that looked like a smartphone. “I surmised this came to me by the way of magic. And I’ve discovered many interfaces that never appeared before. One
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